Biological

Question 1

What are the main assumptions of the biological approach?

Answer 1

• Human behaviour can be explained by looking at biological stuff such as hormones, genetics, evolution and the nervous system.
• Unwanted behaviour could be modified or removed using biological treatments such as medication for mental illness.
• Experimental research conducted using animals can inform us about human behaviour and biological influences because we share biological similarities.

Question 2

How many chromosomes do humans have?

Answer 2

46.

Question 3

What are chromosomes made up of?

Answer 3

A coil of DNA.

Question 4

How are genes relevant in psychology?

Answer 4

They ate important in the development of the brain and therefore have a role in our behaviour.

Question 5

What is the genotype?

Answer 5

The genes a person has.

Question 6

What is the phenotype?

Answer 6

The characteristics a person genes produce.

Question 7

How can genetics explain psychological traits?

Answer 7

• Faulty genes are known to cause some diseases that have psychological effects.
• Biological psychologists believe genetics can explain psychological traits such as gender behaviour, sexual orientation, intelligence and personality.
• Study genetics to see which genes make people more likely to develop mental illness or addiction.

Question 8

What is the method, result and conclusion of Gottesman (1991)?

Answer 8

• Carried out a meta-analysis of
  approximately 40 twin studies.
• It was found that having an identical twin with schizophrenia gave you a 48% chance of developing it as well, this was reduced to 17% with non-identical twins.
• In conclusion, schizophrenia has a strong genetic basis.

Question 9

What is the evaluation of Gottesman (1991)?

Answer 9

• Carried out on field studies which gave the research high ecological validity.
• Only half of identical twins developing schizophrenia means that there is another factor involved.
• Identical twins are normally treated more similarly than non-identical twins which means the family environment plays a significant role.

Question 10

What is the method, result and conclusion of Heston (1966)?

Answer 10

• 47 adopted children whose biological mothers had schizophrenia were studied.
• Control group consisted of 50 adopted children whose mothers did not have schizophrenia.
• The children were followed up as adults and were interviewed and given intelligence and personality tests.
• 5 of the 47 became schizophrenic.
• 0 of the 50 became schizophrenic.
• 4 of the 47 were classified as borderline schizophrenic.
• The study supports the view that schizophrenia has a genetic basis.

Question 11

What is the evaluation of Heston (1966)?

Answer 11

• Interview data can be unreliable and affected by social desirability bias.
• However, interviews are a good way of getting data in a naturalistic way.
• The control group haven’t shown any symptoms yet so it cannot be ruled out.